Luggage item or luggage accessory

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate which has a BET surface area within the range of 20 to 100 m 2 /g, preferably 30 to 80 m 2 /g, more preferably 40 to 70 m 2 /g, most preferably 45 to 65 m 2 /g and/or an amorphous content as determined by XRD of at least 30 wt. %, preferably at least 40 wt. %, more preferably at least 50 wt. %, even more preferably at least 60 wt. % a CO 2 content of at least 3 wt. %. The invention further relates to methods of its production and uses thereof, for example as a filler in polymers. The compositions comprising the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate and a polymer (such as a polyolefin) provide the benefits of being a CO 2 negative material having excellent functional properties which can be used for a variety of purposes, for example as a component of clothing or apparel, or as a component of backpacks such as a buckle.

1 . A luggage item or luggage accessory comprising a hardware component, wherein the hardware component comprises a hardware composition comprising:
 (a) mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate, wherein the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate has
 a BET surface area within the range of 20 to 100 m 2 /g, preferably 30 to 80 m 2 /g, more preferably 40 to 70 m 2 /g, more preferably 45 to 65 m 2 /g, and/or an amorphous content as determined by XRD of at least 30 wt. %, preferably at least 40 wt. %, more preferably at least 50 wt. %, more preferably at least 60 wt. %; and 
 a CO 2  content of at least 3 wt. %, preferably at least 6 wt. %, wherein the CO 2  content is determined as the mass loss above 200° C. measured by TGA employing a temperature trajectory wherein the temperature was increased from room temperature to 800° C. at a rate of 10° C./min and then decreased to room temperature at a rate of 10° C./min; 
   and/or   (b) mechanochemically oxidized graphite, wherein the mechanochemically oxidized graphite has a BET surface area of at least 50 m 2 /g and a CO 2  content of at least 2 wt. %, wherein the CO 2  content is determined as mass loss above 200° C. measured by TGA employing a temperature trajectory wherein the temperature was increased from room temperature to 800° C. at a rate of 10° C./min and then decreased to room temperature at a rate of 10° C./min.   
     
     
         2 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware composition further comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         3 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware composition comprises at least 1 wt. % of the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate, preferably at least 5 wt. % of the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate. 
     
     
         4 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware composition comprises at least 1 wt. % of the mechanochemically oxidized graphite, preferably at least 5 wt. % of the mechanochemically oxidized graphite. 
     
     
         5 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware composition comprises the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate and the mechanochemically oxidized graphite and optionally wherein the composition comprises a combined amount of the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate and the mechanochemically oxidized graphite of at least 5 wt. %. 
     
     
         6 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate has:
 a) a BET surface area within the range of 20 to 100 m 2 /g, preferably 30 to 80 m 2 /g, more preferably 40 to 70 m 2 /g, more preferably 45 to 65 m 2 /g, and/or an amorphous content as determined by XRD of at least 30 wt. %, preferably at least 40 wt. %, more preferably at least 50 wt. %, more preferably at least 60 wt. %; and   b) a CO 2  content of at least 3 wt. %, preferably at least 6 wt. %, wherein the CO 2  content is determined as the mass loss above 200° C. measured by TGA employing a temperature trajectory wherein the temperature was increased from room temperature to 800° C. at a rate of 10° C./min and then decreased to room temperature at a rate of 10° C./min; and   c) one, two, or all, preferably all, of the following characteristics:
 a D10 of from 0.01 to 5 μm, preferably of from 0.1 to 3 μm, most preferably of from 0.5 to 1.5 μm; 
 a D50 of from 0.1 to 50 μm, preferably of from 1 to 25 μm, most preferably of from 2 to 10 μm; 
 a D90 of from 5 to 150 μm, preferably of from 10 to 100 μm, most preferably of from 15 to 40 μm. 
   
     
     
         7 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein the mechanochemically oxidized graphite has:
 a) a BET surface area of from 50 to 2000 m 2 /g, preferably of from 100 to 1500 m 2 /g, most preferably of from 150 to 1000 m 2 /g; and/or   b) a CO 2  content of from 3 to 40 wt. %, preferably of from 4 to 30 wt. %, more preferably of from 5 to 25 wt. %, wherein the CO 2  content is determined as the mass loss above 200° C. measured by TGA employing a temperature trajectory wherein the temperature was increased from room temperature to 800° C. at a rate of 10° C./min and then decreased to room temperature at a rate of 10° C./min; and/or   c) a D50 of from 0.01 to 50 μm, preferably of from 0.1 to 25 μm, most preferably of from 0.2 to 20 μm.   
     
     
         8 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 2 , wherein the polymer is selected from epoxide resin, phenol-formaldehyde resin, polyalkylene terephthalate, polalkylene adipate terephthalate, polyalkylene isosorbide terephthalate, polyalkylene aromatic polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyacetal, polyimide, aromatic polyester, polyisoprene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, polyamide, polyether, polyester, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polylactic acid, poly lactic-co-glycolic acid, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polytetrafluoroethylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, nitrile rubber, styrene-butadiene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, copolymers thereof and combinations thereof, preferably polyolefins, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, copolymers thereof and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 2 , wherein the hardware composition comprises more than 50 wt. % of the polymer, preferably more than 55 wt. % of the polymer, more preferably more than 60 wt. % of the polymer. 
     
     
         10 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware composition further comprises a filler selected from rubbers, preferably a rubber selected from styrene-butadiene rubbers, polyisoprene, chloroprene, nitrile rubber, polyisobutylene, polybutadiene, and combinations thereof in an amount of at least 0.1 wt. %, preferably at least 1 wt. %. 
     
     
         11 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 2 , wherein the hardware composition comprises:
 (a) at least 1 wt. % of the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate, preferably at least 5 wt. % of the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate; and   (b) at least 1 wt. % of the mechanochemically oxidized graphite, preferably at least 5 wt. % of the mechanochemically oxidized graphite; and   (c) more than 50 wt. % of the polymer, preferably more than 55 wt. % of the polymer, more preferably more than 60 wt. % of the polymer,   and optionally further comprising a filler selected from rubbers, preferably a rubber selected from styrene-butadiene rubbers, polyisoprene, chloroprene, nitrile rubber, polyisobutylene, polybutadiene, and combinations thereof in an amount of at least 0.1 wt. %, preferably at least 1 wt. %.   
     
     
         12 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 2 , wherein the hardware composition comprises:
 (a) from 1 to 40 wt. % of the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate, preferably from 5 to 30 wt. % of the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate; and   (b) from 1 to 40 wt. % of the mechanochemically oxidized graphite, preferably from 5 to 30 wt. % of mechanochemically oxidized graphite; and   (c) more than 50 wt. % of the polymer, preferably more than 55 wt. % of the polymer,   and optionally further comprising a filler selected from rubbers, preferably a rubber selected from styrene-butadiene rubbers, polyisoprene, chloroprene, nitrile rubber, polyisobutylene, polybutadiene, and combinations thereof in an amount of from 0.1 to 10 wt. %, preferably of from 1 to 8 wt. %, more preferably of from 4 to 6 wt. %.   
     
     
         13 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 2 , wherein the polymer is recycled polymer. 
     
     
         14 . The luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 10 , wherein the filler selected from rubbers comprises recycled rubber. 
     
     
         15 . A method for producing the luggage item or luggage accessory according to  claim 1 , comprising the following steps:
 i) providing mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate; providing mechanochemically oxidized graphite; or providing mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate and mechanochemically oxidized graphite;   ii) providing a polymer;   iii) optionally providing a filler selected from rubbers, preferably a rubber selected from styrene-butadiene rubbers, polyisoprene, chloroprene, nitrile rubber, polyisobutylene, polybutadiene, and combinations thereof;   iv) combining the mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate and/or the mechanochemically oxidized graphite of step (i) with the polymer of step (ii) and optionally the filler selected from rubbers of step (iii), thereby obtaining a hardware composition comprising mechanochemically carbonated magnesium silicate and/or the mechanochemically oxidized graphite, polymer and optionally the filler selected from rubbers;   v) employing the hardware composition obtained in step (iv) as a hardware component of a luggage item or luggage accessory.